Foldable chair



" Oct. 23, 1934. c. D. KIVLER FOLDABLE CHAIR Filed Aug. 24, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR I C. l'Vlell,

c. D. KIVLER FOLDABLE CHAIR Filed Aug. 24 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 t l i ||l|||||| nllkl lllllll INVENTOR 7 lg(. D.K1'.'Vler ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 23, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDABLE CHAIR Charles I). Kivler, Thomalville, Ga.

Application August 24, 1933, Serial No. 886,609

4 Claims. (Cl. 155-140) This invention relates to foldable chairs. An object of the invention is the provision of a chair of the knock-down construction which may be readily disassembled and formed into a small is compact bundle which will be housed by a flexible member which forms a back for the chair.

Another obi ect of the invention is the provision of a simple, emcient and durable chair of the knock-down construction which may be readily assembled or disassembled with parts being formed into a small bundle and housed within a cover which forms the back of the chair, the seat being formed of flexible material. having rigid members at the ends which are received and supported by a pair of standards.

This invention will be best understood from aconsideration of the following detailed description, in view of the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification; nevertheless, it is so to be understood that the invention is not confined to the disclosure, being susceptible of such changes and modifications which shall define no material departure from the salient features of the inven--,

as Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 2, g v

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken along the line 8-8 01' Figure 8,

Figure 7 is a view in elevation of the chair in the process of beingfolded into a neat, compact bundle,

. Figure 8 is a plan view of a combined back and housing, and

' Figure 9 is a vertical section taken along the line 9-8 of Figure 8 shown: the back in the form of a sheath to form a compact bundle shown in Fig. 7,

Figure 10 is a view in elevation of the folded chair.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 and 11 designate a pair of standards forming the main supports of the chair.

The lower portions of the standards are connected together by a pairoi brace bars 12 and 13 pivotally connected together at 14. The brace bar 12 has a cut-out portion 15 at its lower end A and to which is connected, at 16, the legs of a U-shaped metal member 1'1. The lower end of the standard 11 is slotted, as shown at 18, and one leg of the U-shaped member is inserted through 00 the slot and the U-shaped member is secured by means of a bolt or rivet 19 to the lower end 01, said standard. A similar construction for'connecting the brace bar 13 to the standard 10 is employed as is used forconnecting the lower end of the standard 11 to the lower end of the brace bar'l2. The U-shaped member l'lnhowever, has the outer flange or leg inserted through the slot 18 so thata portion 20 of the standard is located infront of the U-shaped member. Each of the brace bars 12 and 13 is provided with a reduced portion or-lugg2l which is received within a slot 22 formed in the standard at a point intermediate the opposite ends of the standard. The lug 21 may be fitted into the opening or passage 22 or removed since this lug is not secured to the standard. The reduction of the brace bars to form the lugs also provides a shoulder 23 which abuts the standard.

' A bracing leg 25 has its lower end normally in engagement with the fioor or ground, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A link 26 pivotally connected at 27 with the standard 11 and at 28 with the leg 25 co-operates with a link 29 for connecting the bracing leg 25 with the-standard 11 while permitting the bracing leg to be moved into contact with the standard 11 when desired. The movements of the links and the bracing leg are shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. i

The link 29 is pivotally connected at 30 with on the standard 11 and with the bracing leg 25 at 31. The upper end of the leg 25 is sheared ofl at an angle, as shown at 32, and this portion abuts one edge of the leg 11. The bracing leg 25, is connected to the standard 10 in the same manner as is the leg 25 to the standard 11.

A seat, generally indicated by the numeral 35, is formed of flexible material 36 and rigid members 37 and 38. Each of the members 37 and 38 is similarly formed and is made of wood. The ends of the flexible member 38 are secured to the inner edges of the rigid members 37 and 38 by means of a metal bar 39 which is screwed to the rigid member as shown at 40 lung. 5. Each of the rigid members 3'1 and 381s provided with openings 42 which are sufiiciently large to neatly receive the standards 10 and 11 and these rigid members are supportedin a predetermined horizontal position by their engagement with the upper ends of the links 29.

The back of the chair, as shown at 45, also forms a housing or sheath for the parts of the chair when the chair has been disassembled and folded into a compact form, the parts as shown in Fig. 7 being in the process of being folded into such compact form. The back or housing 45 is formed of some flexible material such as heavy canvas or any other material which is suitable for the purpose. The piece of material, as shown more particularly in Figs. 6, 8 and 9, is folded upon itself, as shown at 46 with the edges of the pieces being brought in close association, as shown at 47 and 48. The edge 48 is folded upon itself, as shown at 49, and a short strip of material 50 is secured to the folded portion 49 and the end 48 of the housing, as shown at 51. At spaced intervals the strip 50 is connected by means of stitches 52 to the side wall 53 of the housing and this strip just referred to is located adjacent the open end 54 of the housing. A second strip of material is secured to the inner face of the side wall 53 of the housing adjacent the opposite end 55 of the housing 45. The lower ends of the stitching 52 and 52' are reinforced by means of fasteners 56 so that channels 57 are provided between the stitchings 52 and between the stitchings 52 to receive the upper ends of the standards 10 and 11, as shown in Fig. 1, for supporting the housing to form the back of the chair. The lower ends of the channels 57 are open, as shown at 60, to permit the reception of the uppe'r free ends of said standards. The channels or pockets provide means for not only supporting the back on the standards but the plurality of channels permit the back to be made taut or loose, depending upon the wishes of the occupant of the chair.

Eyelets 61 are clamped in position on the edges of the material adjacent the outer end 54 of the housing 45 so that straps may be inserted through these reinforced eyelets for closing the end of the housing.

The chair is shown in assembled position in Fig. 1. If it be desired to disassemble the chair the housing or back 45 is removed and the rigid members 37 and 38 are raised until the upper ends of the standards 10 and 11 clear the openings 42 in said rigid members.

The bracing legs 25 and 25 are rocked on the pivots 28 so that they will assume the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2. Continued upward movement of the bracing legs 25 will cause these legs to move in edge to edge engagement with the respective standards 10 and 11.

The standards are then moved apart transversely until the lugs 21 clear the openings 22 in the said standards whence the brace bars 12 and 13 may be folded upon each other due to the pivot 14 and the pivots 16. These brace bars will be folded over each other and may be sprung slightly if necessary to move their edges in flat contact with the respective standards 10 and 11.

In this condition the parts of the chair will assume the position shown in Fig. 7 and the folded chair may then be inserted within the housing 45. The rigid members may be rolled in the flexible seat 36 and this is placed in the upper end of the housing after which the strap is inserted through the eyelets 61 and tied or secured in any approved manner, closing the upper end of the housing.

The members 12 and 13 are connected to the brackets 17 and 17- with the brackets being located in offset planes so that the inwardly pro Jecting portions of the brackets may overlap when the parts are folded into a neat compact bundle.

I claim:

1. A foldable chair comprising a pair of standards, a bracing leg contacting with each standard for retaining the standards in an upright position, linksconnecting the bracing legs with the standards, means connecting the standards together, a seat formed of flexible material, bars connected to the ends of the flexible material and provided with passages for the reception of the standards, the bars resting on certain of the links for supporting the bars and likewise the seat at a predetermined height, and a back carried by the standards.

2. A foldable chair comprising a pair of standards, bracing means for supporting the standards in an upright position, foldable means connecting the standards together, a seat removably mounted on the standards and supported at a predetermined height by the bracing means, mid seat at the opposite ends thereof having openings received by the standards, and a removable back supported on the standards.

3. A foldable chair comprising a pair of standards, foldable bracing means for supporting the standards in an upright position, foldable means connecting the standards together, a seat removably mounted on the standards and supported at a predetermined height by the bracing means, and a removable back supported on the standards, the body portion of the seat being formed of flexible material so that said seat may be rolled into a compact bundle, the seat having openings received by the standards for retaining said seat in position.

4. A foldable chair comprising standards, means connected to the standards for supporting the standards in an upright position, a seat supported on the standards, a back formed of a foldable sheet of fibrous material with the free edges of the folded sheet connected together except at one end to provide a reinforced back, a sheet of fabric secured to the inner face of one folded portion adjacent each end of the back and secured to the portion by spaced transverse stitching to provide transverse pockets to receive the upper ends of the standards, for supporting the back on the standards and for reinforcing the back adjacent the ends.

CHARLES D. KIVLER. 

